Issued: DEC 2003
ENGINE RETARDER BRAKES SIGN
PART
RECOMMENDED SECTION
PRACTICES
SUB-SECTION
General
Concerned citizens and local governments
occasionally raise issues regarding the
noise levels of engine retarder brakes from
heavy trucks.
When noise problems become persistent
and affect many residents, signs may be
placed on a highway, asking drivers to
refrain from using their engine retarder
brakes.
Since truck drivers often rely on engine
brakes in controlling their vehicles, the
information sign is only allowed where there
are no safety implications as a result of
displaying the sign along the highway.
Use of Engine Retarder Brakes
Engine retarder brakes are used in many
heavy trucks as a supplement to the
vehicle’s service brakes. The principle
behind the engine retarder brake is that it
changes the action of the exhaust valves,
turning the engine into an air compressor.
Engine brakes use the characteristics of the
diesel engine to produce a significant
amount of drag through the vehicle’s drive
train to the wheels. This allows the service
brakes to stay cool and ready for
emergencies.
Engine retarder brakes provide increased
driving safety in normal and difficult weather
and road conditions, including ice, snow
and wet or gravel road surfaces.
Revised: DEC 2006
Page 1 of 3
HIGHWAY SIGNS
REGULATORY SIGNS
Engine retarder brakes can provide:
• Faster, steadier, more efficient braking
performance.
• Reduced wear on engine, tires, and
service brakes.
• Less vehicle downtime.
• Enhanced driver confidence.
The engine makes a distinctive staccato
sound while in operation (while converting
the power-producing diesel engine into a
power-absorbing retarding mechanism).
Since 1988, vehicles have been required to
produce less than 80 dB(A). When the
muffler is removed, the sound level
increases by 21 decibels.
Provincial Legislation
There is no provincial legislation to regulate
the use of engine retarder brakes along
provincial highways. There is also no
provincial law to control noise levels
generated by engine brakes, unless the
vehicle is found to have deficient
equipment.
Safety Implications
Actions restricting the use of engine
retarder brakes may have legal and safety
implications since truck drivers often rely on
engine brakes in controlling their vehicles
under various situations.

ENGINE RETARDER BRAKES SIGN
For this reason, signs advising truck drivers
to limit the use of engine brakes will
normally be discouraged.
Thus, the use of Engine Retarder Brakes
signs is a local development issue in which
Alberta Infrastructure and Transportation
must balance development needs with the
safety needs of the motoring public.
Standard
The Engine Retarder Brakes sign consists
of a word message provided with black
lettering on a white background. The
content of the message will vary depending
on the need (e.g., it may prescribe a
distance or the area limits over which a sign
would apply).
A typical message will read: TRUCKERS,
PLEASE AVOID USE OF ENGINE
RETARDER BRAKES.
Details of the sign can be found in drawings
TCS-A-205 and TCS-A-206.
Guidelines For Use
An Engine Retarder Brakes sign may be
permitted to alleviate noise levels at
locations that meet all of the following
criteria:
• the area affected by noise has a
substantial residential section
• a record has arisen of persistent
complaints from different local residents
(for an extended period of time, of at
least one year)
• a considerable amount of truck traffic
Issued: DEC 2003
Revised: DEC 2006
Page 2 of 3
passes through the residential area
• the area is located within a distance of
400 m from a provincial highway.
Signs will be reviewed on a request basis
only.
The final decision to authorize the
placement of an Engine Retarder Brakes
sign on the highway will depend on the
combined effect of the roadway operational
and safety factors (with safety issues being
the predominant factor to consider).
Sign Application Process
A local municipality may apply to Alberta
Infrastructure and Transportation to install
Engine Retarder Brakes signs on a
provincial highway.
After reviewing a request, Alberta
Infrastructure and Transportation may issue
a Letter of Approval allowing for the
installation of Engine Retarder Brakes signs
within the highway right-of-way.
Guidelines for Placement
Engine Retarder Brakes signs may be
installed on highway entrances to an urban
area. The exact location and the number of
signs will depend on the need and site-
specific conditions (i.e., presence and
proximity of residential areas to a highway,
noise influence area, existing noise
attenuation measures, and other socio-
demographics).
In general, the limits of the noise influence
area are considered to be within a radius of
300 m to 400 m from the residential

ENGINE RETARDER BRAKES SIGN
development as shown in Figure 1. The
actual limits or the boundaries of the noise
influence area should be established based
on the combined input from local residents
and field observations.
Figure 1 - Sign Installation and Maintenance
Issued: DEC 2003
Revised: DEC 2006
Page 3 of 3
Alberta Infrastructure and Transportation will
be responsible for managing all activities
associated with fabricating, supplying,
installing and maintaining the signs along the
highway. All associated signs costs will be
covered by the municipality requesting the
sign.
 SIGN DETAILS
LETTER SIZE: Minimum 150 mm Series E font – main message

Minimum 150 mm Series C font – supplementary information (i.e., distance, the length of the area)
COLOUR: Black lettering on white background

SUBTRATE: 19 mm High Density Plywood

SIGN FACE: ASTM Type III or IV sheeting

PLACEMENT: Minimum 6 m from white shoulder line

SUPPORTS: Double support – wood posts, pressure treated
100 mm x 100 mm or 100 mm x 150 mm.

NO. DESCRIPTION BY DATE

DRAWING
TCS-A-205

Date: DEC 2003

ENGINE RETARDER BRAKES SIGN –

STANDARD

Prepared Checked Scale:

by: by: SECTION A2
S.L. B.B. N.T.S.
 SIGN DETAILS
LETTER SIZE: Minimum 150 mm Series E font – main message

Minimum 150 mm Series C font – supplementary (i.e., distance, the length of the area) information
COLOUR: Black lettering on white background

SUBTRATE: 19 mm High Density Plywood

SIGN FACE: ASTM Type III or IV sheeting

PLACEMENT: Minimum 6 m from white shoulder line

SUPPORTS: Double support - wood posts, pressure treated
100 mm x 100 mm or 100 mm x 150 mm.

NO. DESCRIPTION BY DATE

DRAWING
TCS-A-206

Date: DEC 2003

ENGINE RETARDER BRAKES SIGN

- TYPICAL URBAN APPLICATION

Prepared Checked Scale:

by: by: SECTION A2
S.L. B.B. N.T.S.